1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains generally to a device for humidifying a stream of air, and more particularly to a modular evaporative humidification structure for use with units supplying conditioned air to the interior of enclosed structures.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Present day industrial-type buildings are conventionally supplied with conditioned air for maintaining desired atmospheric conditions within the building by means of so-called airhouses or air handling units disposed about or within the building. In such airhouses fresh air from the outside and/or return air from the building interior are drawn into the airhouse in selected proportions, conditioned as by heating, cooling, humidifying, filtering, purifying, dehumidifying etc. as appropriate, and then admitted to the building to maintain desired atmospheric conditions therewithin. Systems of the type with which the invention has particular utility are disclosed and fully described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,850,264, 4,960,041, and 5,146,977, as well as copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/665,352, filed Mar. 6, 1991, all of which are incorporated herein by reference.
The buildings with which such air handling units are employed vary widely in size and design, and may range from a few thousand square feet to one million square feet or more in area. As a result, the airhouses employed may also vary in design, number and size. In many instances it may also be desirable to retrofit existing airhouses to incorporate state-of-the-art systems as disclosed in the aforementioned patents and patent application, for increased energy efficiency and compliance with pollution and health standards. Where it is desired to provide humidification in the air handling system, due to the differences in size and construction of the airhouses it has heretofore generally been necessary to custom design and build an evaporation unit for each airhouse. This procedure is both costly and time-consuming, and may result in undue delay in completion of a project.